Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 About this Document

1.2 What’s New This Cycle

1.3 Resources, Documentation and Tools

1.3.1 Phase I “Roadmap”

1.3.2 Cycle 21 Announcement Web Page

1.3.3 Cycle 21 Call for Proposals

1.3.4 Instrument Handbooks

1.3.5 The Astronomer’s Proposal Tool (APT)
and the Aladin Sky Atlas

1.3.6 Exposure Time Calculators (ETCs)

1.3.7 HST Data Archive

1.3.8 Data Reduction and Calibration

1.4 STScI Help Desk

Chapter 2: System Overview

2.1 Telescope Design and Field of View

2.2 Orbital Constraints

2.2.1 Continuous Viewing Zone (CVZ)

2.2.2 South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA)

2.2.3 Predicted HST Position

2.3 Pointing Constraints

2.4 Orientation and Roll Constraints

2.5 Data Storage and Transmission

2.5.1 Onboard Data Storage

Chapter 3: Telescope Performance

3.1 Optical Performance

3.2 HST Guiding Performance

3.3 HST Observing Efficiency

Chapter 4: Cycle 21 Scientific Instruments

4.1 Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS)

4.2 Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3)

4.3 Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS)

4.4 Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS)

4.5 Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS)

4.6 Additional Observing Modes

4.6.1 Imaging Polarimetry

4.6.2 Slitless Imaging Spectroscopy

4.6.3 Ramp and Quad Filters

4.6.4 Coronagraphy

4.6.5 Observations with Two Instruments - Parallel Observing

4.7 Instrument Comparisons

4.7.1 HST Imaging

4.7.2 Spectrographs

Chapter 5: Observing Considerations

5.1 Bright-Object Constraints

5.1.1 ACS, COS & STIS

5.1.2 FGS

5.1.3 WFC3

5.2 Target Acquisitions

5.2.1 Target Acquisition without the Ground System

5.2.2 Target Acquisition with Ground System Support

5.3 Solar System Targets

5.4 Offsets, Patterns, and Dithering

5.5 Spatial Scans

Chapter 6: Orbit Calculation for a Phase I Proposal

6.1 Overview of an Observing Program

6.1.1 General Observer (GO) Programs

6.1.2 Snapshot Programs

6.2 HST Visits

6.2.1 Defining New Visits and Optimizing Scheduling Efficiency and Flexibility

6.2.2 Instrument Specific Limitations on Visits

6.3 The Visibility Period

6.4 Acquisition Times and Instrument Overheads

6.4.1 Guide Star Acquisition Times

6.4.2 Target Acquisition Times

6.4.3 Instrument Overhead Times

6.4.4 Telescope Repositioning Overhead Times

6.5 Constructing the Program

Chapter 7: Data Processing and the HST Data Archive

7.1 Routine Science Data Processing

7.1.1 Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System (STSDAS)

7.2 The HST Data Archive

7.2.1 Web Access to the HST Data Archive

7.3 Hubble Legacy Archive (HLA)

Appendix A: Orbit Calculation Examples

A.1 ACS Example

A.2 COS Examples

A.3 FGS Example

A.4 STIS Example

A.5 WFC3 Examples

Appendix B: HST Mission

B.1 Servicing Missions and Instrument Complements

Appendix C: Legacy Instruments

C.1 Faint Object Camera (FOC)

C.2 Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS)

C.3 Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS)

C.4 High Speed Photometer (HSP)

C.5 Wide Field and Planetary Camera 1 (WF/PC)

C.6 Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2)

C.7 The Advanced Camera for Surveys High
Resolution Channel (ACS/HRC)

C.8 Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS)

Appendix D: Internet Links

Appendix E: Glossary of Acronyms
and Abbreviations